Heritage Retail Design: The Eka Boutique Project
We transformed a heritage site in Mumbai's Kala Ghoda district into a boutique where the architecture tells the story. A blend of terracotta, brass, and raw concrete designed to feel like a home.
A view from the terracotta-tiled courtyard into the main retail space at Eka. The transition to a polished concrete floor marks a shift to a more intimate atmosphere, where custom wood wardrobes and antique displays showcase the clothing.
Our first look at the completed Eka retail project. The design echoes the brand's philosophy of finding luxury in the antique, with a custom live-edge wood bench, sourced stone, and a concrete-finish wall creating a space that is sensory and comfortable.
The main retail area at Eka features custom-designed wooden wardrobes and a unique glass display case for accessories. The arched doorway and lime-washed walls add to the feeling of being in a familiar, personal space rather than a conventional store.
Clothing is displayed on simple wooden shelves with brass hanging rods, set against textured, lime-washed walls. The material palette is intentionally timeless, using natural wood and concrete to feel both refined and warm.
A freestanding mirror with a wooden frame and brass details adds a touch of vintage elegance to the Eka store. Every piece of furniture was either custom-designed or carefully sourced to align with the brand's narrative of heritage and craft.
Even the washroom at the Eka store continues the design narrative. We used earthy green tiles, an exposed concrete finish, and repurposed wood for the door handle and towel rack to create a space that feels raw, natural, and familiar.
A detail of the ornate, restored column capital inside the Eka store. We chose to preserve and highlight the original architectural features of the heritage building, integrating them into the contemporary retail design.
This video pans across the intimate retail space at Eka, showing the custom-designed 'almira' style displays and a vintage glass cabinet. These pieces enhance the verticality of the compact space and reinforce the brand's value of heritage.
A detail of a carved wooden shelf against a lime-washed wall at the Eka store. The lighting is designed to be soft and ambient, highlighting the textures of the materials and the craftsmanship of the fixtures.
A close-up of the custom brass and wood joinery for the clothing display racks at Eka. This detail shows the intersection of modern brass fittings with traditional woodcraft, a key theme in the store's design.
About Heritage & Craft: The Eka Fashion Boutique
Instead of forcing openness in this compact space, we embraced its natural intimacy by treating the boutique like a home. By layering textures like lime-washed walls, brass fittings, and custom joinery, we created a retail environment where the existing architecture guides the customer's journey.
Designing for Eka required a delicate balance between maintaining the heritage of the Kala Ghoda district and meeting the functional needs of a modern fashion boutique. The space was compact, but rather than trying to manufacture a sense of vastness, we leaned into the character of the site. We used the soaring, light-filled courtyard as a metaphorical outdoor transition, leading into a quieter, more enclosed main retail area that feels like an extension of a living room.
The material palette was chosen for its sensory depth and history. We replaced standard retail finishes with terracotta tiling in the courtyard, which transitions into an IPS (Indian Patent Stone) floor as you move deeper into the store. This material shift acts as a subconscious cue for the shopper, marking the movement from the public 'outdoors' to the private 'home.'
Every fixture was custom-built to address the constraints of the footprint. We designed 'almira' style displays along the walls to maximize vertical storage without cluttering the floor. These joinery pieces combine wood with subtle brass accents, reflecting our obsession with materials that age gracefully. Even the washroom follows this logic, utilizing earthy green tiles and repurposed wood for door handles, ensuring the brand experience remains cohesive from the front door to the back of the house.
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